chambers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G; CHAMBERS, Jr.

ENGINE REGISTER.

No. 288,976. Patented Nov. 27', 1883.

N. PETERS, mmum w. Washmgmn. n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. OHAMBERS,J1-.

, ENGINE REGISTER. No. 288,976. Patented Nov. 27, 1883.

register with the door removed.

placement of a wheel-shaft.

Uivrrn STATES PATENT CYRUS CHAMBERS, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PEXXSYLYANIA.

ENGINE-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,976, dated November 27, 1883,

Application filed April 13, 1881. (X model.)

I; all. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Crnus Crrmrnnns, Jr., of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Registers; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section with the door closed. Fig. 3 is a similar section, showing the door prevented from closing by the dis Figs. 4., 5, and 6 are diagrams showing the different relative positions of the flanged rims, spur-wheels, and

p with the gear.

'ing the pawl thrown off from the spur-gear by driving-teeth as they rotate. Fig. 7 is a top view (detail) of the mechanism for rotating and holding the spungear, the pawl being shown in aposition of rest before engagement Fig. 8 is a similar view, showthe tooth following that which it has driven.

The same part is indicated by the same letter wherever it occurs in the drawings.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of engine-registers by making the movements positive, preventing erroneous counting by holding the dial-wheels immovable except at the moment when they are required to make a tenth of a revolution in order to register a count, by giving certainty to the actionof the driving and alarm mechanism, and by facilitating the setting of the machine and securing it against derangement and tampering.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in the permanent interlocking of the upper flanged rim of one wheel with the notches in the lower rim of the following wheel on the left, in such a manner that no wheel can be moved at any other time than that at which it is required to present a new digit and register a new count at the dial 5 second, in inclining the axes of the number-wheels at such an angle as will present all the digits to be read through the openings of the dial in the same horizontal line; third, in the combination, with the interlocking wheels and their shafts, of the spur-wheels and driving-teeth, each spur-wheel, except the units wheel, being driven by tooth attached to the shaft of the wheel next on its right; fourth, in the use of a drivingpawl provided with a spring whose reaction serves the double purpose of throwing back the pawl both longitudinally and laterally to its initial position after each stroke, thus insuring the exactmovement of one tooth of the driven gear at a time, unaffected by the lost motion of the pawl at either or both ends of its stroke; fifth, in providing the door with perforations through which the numbers can be read, and with a plate or flange which, when the door is shut, lies on top of the wheelshafts and prevents their being moved up, so as to throw the wheels out of gear, and which also prevents the'door from being shut unless all the shafts are in proper position and the wheels interlocked; sixth, in providing the shaft of any one of the number-wheels with a double tappet cam, which at any predeten mined count shall engage with a bell-arm and give an alarm.

In the drawings, A marks the bed-plate of the machine, which supports a quadrangular case, C, in which the registering mechanism is contained. This case is closed by a door, D, hinged at bottom, perforated with a row of openings, 0, through which the registered numbers are read. This door is also provided with a projecting plate, 1), which, when the door is closed, passes under a flat spring, (I, which holds it by friction. On the top of the case is a bell, B, which serves to give an alarm when struck by the hammer 71, attached to the shaft 2), which is operated so as to bring the hammer against the hell by means of a spring and arm. (Not shown.) On the hammershaft 7) is an arm, a, which engages at a predetermined count with acam, c, on the shaft 8 of one of the dial or number wheels.

Inside of case 0 is a cast frame, F, made in halves, which supports the registering mechanism. This frame is provided with lugs above and below, which serve as journal-boxes for the shafts s s of the indeywheels. These shafts are inclined, as shown, for the purpose '2 a assume number; but the series may be indefinitely extended to meet the requirements of any case. The wheel Uon the right is the units wheel. The next to the left, T, is the tens wheel H, the hundreds/ M the thousands, and X the ten thousands wheel. Each wheel has a flanged rim, 1-, whose upper .edge interlocks at all times with notches a in the lower edge of the rim of the wheel immediately to the left of it. There are no notches on the lower edge of the rim of wheel U, and the upper edge of the rim ofwheel X (the last of the series) is plain. The mannerin which the upper edges of the flanged rims in terlock with the notches of the wheelson the left is illustrated by the diagrams Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The arrows indicatethe direction in which the wheels are turning. The heavy lines in these figures mark the unbroken part of the rim 1'; 0, the openings in it, and n H the notches on the lower edge of the adjacent wheel. In Fig. the solid rim of wheel U is shown as engaged or interlocked with two notches a of wheel T, an intermediate notch a being within the rim. 1', the interlocking space being equal to that occupied by three notches. \Vhen the relative positions of the wheels are those shown in this figure, wheel T is incapable of rotation. Fig. 5 shows the rim 1' of wheel U in position to allow wheel T to move one notch, or one-tenth of a revolution, the rim 9 being cut away at the openings 0 o, to allow the notched rim to move without obstruction. The instant wheel T has moved one-tenth of a revolution the rim '2" is brought into the position shown in Fig. 4, and prevents any further movement until wheel U has made another revolution. The positions of the driving-teeth t in the various positions of the wheels U T are clearly shown, Fig. 5 showing the tooth in engagement with the gear G, and at the moment of driving it, while the openings 0 are in position to allow wheel T to make the required movement.

The unit-wh eel U is steadied by the springdetent g, and is driven by the reciprocation of spring-pawl P, a fiat plate of the shape shown in Fig. 1, attached to a rod, R, playing in eyes 0 c in the lower part of frame F. (See Figs.

1, 7, and 8.) A spiral spring, S, is wound around rod It, and attached by one end to it at the point i. The free end abuts against an eye 0, and the longitudinal reaction of the spring tends to drive the pawl against .the

case 0 to the position shown in Fig. 1,

The

lateral reaction of the spring impels the pawl P inward toward the face of frame F. The rod R is connected with the machinery whose movements are to be counted by the link L in any convenient manner.

The shafts s can be raised in theirjournalboxes sufiiciently to unlock and readjust the number wheels whenever required. When properly arranged and in place, the plate 1) of the door rests upon their upper ends and prevents them from being accidentally or intentionally unlocked and changed in relative po sition.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The wheels, at the outset, are all set at zero. By the first stroke of the engine or other machine whose movements are to be counted, the rod R is drawn out till cam P impinges against the first tooth of the gear G of unitswheel U, and moves that wheel one-tenth of a revolution, presenting the digit 1 at the right-hand opening of the door or dial D. Nine strokes of pawl P bring the rim of wheel U into the position to allow of the movement of wheel T, and the tootht into the position to impart that movement at the tenth stroke. The cipher (0) then comes opposite the righthand opening of the dial and the digit 1 opposite thesecond opening. The entire revolution of any one wheel produces one-tenth of a revolution of the next wheel on the left, accord ing to the ordinary method of operating register mechanism. As soon as the pawl P has carried one tooth of gear G a tenth of a revolution, the succeeding tooth pushes the pawl outward and allows it to pass forward without producing any further movement of the gear. It is then driven back by spring S to its initial position, and inward by the lateral reaction of the spring against the face of frame F and into line for the next stroke.

The double tappet bell-cam is set for giving an alarm at anyparticular point in the count by attachment to theshatt of the wheel that registers that count in such a position as to engage the arm of the shaft Z) at the proper n10- ment to cause it to draw back the bell-hammer h to give the alarm-stroke.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a registeringmachine, a series of number-wheelsfixed upon inclined parallel shafts, and provided with interlocking flanged rims, all constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose described.

2.- In combination with the inclined shafts s and interlocking flanged rims of the numberwheels of a registering-machine, the spur-gears Grand driving-teeth 2, arranged and operating as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the rod R, eyes 6 0, spring S, having the double reactiondescribed, and pawl P, all constructed, arranged, and operating in the manner and for the.pu-rpose described.

IIO

4-. In combination with the door D, the flange l p and spring (I, the flange being located relatively to the shafts s inthe manner specified, for the purpose stated.

5. The combination, with the shaft 3 of a number-wheel, of the double tappet cam 0, arm a, shaft Z), hammer 71, and bell 13, all arranged and operating as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a registering-machine, a series of dial or number wheels provided with flanged rims, as described, thenpper flanged rim of onewheel interlocking with notches in the lower flanged rim of the next wheel on its left, for the purpose of rendering each wheel immovable at all times except when its movement is required to indicate a change in the count, all substantially in the manner set forth.

7. In a registering-machine, the inclined dial wheels having figures inscribed upon them in a vertical position, in combination with the dial-plate D, having a horizontal line of perforations, O, as and for the purpose stated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CYRUS CHAMBERS, JR.

\Vitnesses:

L. G. YOUNG, (has. F. S'rAXsBvny. 

